


Look Inside

by kayura_sanada



Category: Beastmaster
Genre: Fix-It, Happy Ending, M/M, Ruh Is Smarter Than His Human
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 01:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13583217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayura_sanada/pseuds/kayura_sanada
Summary: Ruh knows better than Dar.





	Look Inside

Dar’s first clue should have been when Ruh had allowed Tao to play with his first litter. Ruh had turned at his happy confusion to tell Dar that he “would let the clumsy one play with his cubs, since he can have none of his own.” At the time, Dar had thought Ruh was remarking on how Tao didn’t yet have a lover, despite his now near-proximity with Caro. And, if he were honest, he’d been distracted by the sight of Tao making growling noises as Ruh’s cubs each climbed on him, trying to reach up on unsturdy legs to bat at Tao’s face. Tao pretended to bite at them, making them all shriek and flail onto their backs. Tao laughed, and Dar’s questions had flown right out of his head.

* * *

Even when everything went to hell and his battle with Balcifer was upon him, still it didn’t hit him. When Ruh leaped at Balcifer to keep the dark lord from Tao as Tao protected the ark, he thought Ruh was just doing what he usually did – helping Dar, protecting his friends, helping him save the world. He hadn’t thought anything of it.

At the time, he’d just been grateful.

* * *

He’d walked without hesitation toward his destiny, confused as to why he felt hollower and hollower with each step he took. Ruh bounded up to him through the fog, and he was heady with the sudden relief that flowed through him. The tiger growled at him and stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “Ruh?”

 _You would leave your mate? For good?_ Ruh snarled. _A few days, even weeks, as you hunted, I could understand. But this?_

Dar just stared down at his old friend. “Mate?”

 _You must return and take your mate with you._ The tiger stormed up to him, its amber eyes nearly glowing in its fury. _Turn back!_

Dar looked behind him. He couldn’t see Tao or Arina anymore; even the forest’s tallest trees were little more than blocky shadows beyond the mist. “Ruh, Arina isn’t my mate.”

Above them, Sharak sighed.

Ruh roared. The mist parted around him. _Of course not! Now go retrieve your clumsy one!_

His clumsy one? Only Tao was ever called – Dar sucked in a breath. He craned his neck, but he couldn’t see anything through the whiteness around him. “Tao isn’t…” But even as he spoke the words, his heart soared in response, as if answering some primal call.

Dartanus had told them, once, that his meeting with Tao was fated. The knowledge had granted him a bright spark of pleasure, yet he’d only thought it meant the two of them were fated comrades. Still, the thought stuck now. He’d seen animals mate with those of the same sex before. For some reason, he’d never thought it something the human race could do, as well. Yet Ruh had thought otherwise. To Ruh, even though they’d never engaged in sexual activities, even though Arina was the one Dar had slept with before, it was Tao that Ruh believed Dar was in a relationship with.

 _That_ was why Ruh had said Tao could live vicariously through Ruh’s cubs. Because two men could adopt others’ children, but could never have their own.

Did… did Tao feel the same way?

The question slammed into him. Suddenly his family, his future, his destiny, did not call to him the way it had just moments before. He felt something else calling him. Begging him to return. The way Eirokan had always pulled at him to return.

 _Return to your mate!_ Ruh snapped.

Dar ran. Sharak, high above, followed – or perhaps led. Dar altered his footsteps to match Sharak’s flight pattern instinctively, and let his mind turn to his destination – to Tao.

Tao, when he’d left to head to the castle, had waved Dar off. Perhaps he was used to doing so, with as many times as Dar had left him behind in Eirokan. Perhaps this burgeoning feeling inside of him was unrequited, or as yet unknown to Tao the way it had been unknown to him.

Then he ran through the fog far enough to see land once more. His gaze locked on the two humans he’d left behind, and he saw them huddled together, Arina holding Tao in her arms as he… as he cried.

“Tao!”

His friend stiffened. Arina swiveled her head toward him, her gaze latching on to him through the mist. Her eyes widened. She turned to Tao and murmured into his ear. Tao’s gaze snapped to his.

Tears still streamed down that face. The face that held exactly what it always had – exactly what Dar had been too blind to see.

Tao loved him. And Tao had let him go.

Sharak flew above him, for once not giving him his view but instead acting as if to lead the way. His immortal friend, understanding what he needed better than he did. He ran as fast as he could, his gaze never wavering from Tao. His friend – his mate – watched him with wide eyes. Slowly Tao broke away from Arina and wiped his eyes. He stood as if to take action – as if Dar had returned to ask for another translation from the tome.

Dar burst out of the mist; the sudden return of earth beneath his feet nearly made him trip, but he refused to be slowed. Arina hurried to his side as if to help him with his balance. Tao, still stunned, had yet to move. Dar barely slowed as he reached Tao’s side. He grabbed his long-time friend. “I’m sorry,” he gasped, and crushed Tao into a hug. “I’m sorry.”

“Dar?” Tao asked, and easily returned Dar’s hug. His arms were gentle despite Dar’s desperation. “What’s wrong?”

“Were you unable to cross?” Arina asked.

“I promise,” he said, turning to her, seeing her anguish clearly for the first time, “I’m not leaving forever.” The pinch between her eyes grew deeper for a moment before she closed her eyes, breathing his words in. The words should have been said long before. He turned back to Tao, into those usually expressive eyes, guarded now for too long. Many words should have been said before. “And, Tao. If I’m to rule, I should do so with my mate by my side.”

For too long, Tao’s face read only incomprehension, even as Arina gasped. Then, slowly, guarded hope. Dar held Tao's cheeks until that hope blossomed full-out. The Eiron stopped breathing. “Me?” he asked.

Dar grinned. “You.”

Tao searched his face. Did he think Dar was lying? Or perhaps that Dar had been bewitched? But no. He seemed to be double-checking what hope had led him to believe. Dar let him look, until finally he smiled, then outright grinned. Tao whooped and hugged him with the same intensity Dar had shown him moments before. He laughed. “What brought this on?” he asked, ever unable to let a moment slip by without asking questions.

Dar looked back toward the mist, where Ruh watched with a triumphant gaze. “I guess I just had the sense knocked into me.”

Tao laughed again. “Remind me to thank Ruh later.”

Dar closed his eyes and held Tao close. His mate was incredible – and, as usual, much wiser than he.


End file.
